Linotype-machine.



F. W. SUTGLI'FPE. LINOT'YPE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.5, L905.

YERS co. WASHINDTON. D.

PATENTED'DEG. 11, 1906.

4 sums-sun 1;

PATENTED' DEC. 11, 1906.

F. W. SUTGLIFPB. 'LINOTYPE MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 0CT. 5, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

iffm lwy ms NORRIS rErsRs co wasumcrcn, n. c.

No- 838,064. PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

' F. W. SUTCLIFPE.

LINOTYPE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT 5 1905 '4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

EQMQM UNITED STATES grnnr OFFICE.

FREDERICK WILLIAM 'SUTOLIFFE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO LINOTYPE AND MACHINERY LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

LlNOTYPE-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1 1, 1906.

Application filed October 5,1905. Serial No. 281,460.

useful Improvements in Linotype-Machines and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in linotype-machines; and the object of it is to enable the operator to cast linotypes of differ ent lengths from the same composed lines of matrices and spaces.

It is articularly. adapted for use in the Mergent aler linotype-machine described in the specification of Letters Patent No.436,532 September 16, 1890.

The particular users of linotype-machines who have already, and will in the future, find this invention useful, arev those who supply stereotypes to the printing trade, and some of whose customers require their stereotypes to have lines of one length, while other customers require their stereotypes to have lines of a different length. For instance, let it be supposed that one such customer is the proprietor of a newspaper having lines thirty ens long while the lines of another customersnewspaper are only twenty-eight ens long. It is obvious that a thirty-ens stereo cannot be cast from a flong made on twenty-eightens linotype, nor a twenty-eight-ens one from a thirty ens flong, and even if the user were to set the job in movable ty e instead of in linotype there would still be t 1e necessity of running over the lines after the first fiong had been taken from them to shorten them from thirty ens to twenty-eight ens or to lengthen them from twenty-eight ens to thirty ens, according to which of the two had been their original length, before the second flong could be taken.

The present invention makes the linotypemachine practically run over each twentyeight-ens line of matrices and space-bars after the twenty-eight-ens linoty e has been cast from it and lengthen it to t irty ens, so that the machine can cast a thirty-ens linotype from the said line before it is distributed, thereby obviating the necessity of a separate composition for each length of linotype.

It consists in combining a filling-piece with the vise that holds the composed line during the acts of justification and casting, the said "filling-piece having an operative thickness equal to the desired difference in the two lengths of linotypes. The vise is adjusted for the longer length, and this length is reduced to the shorter one by theinsertion of the filling-piece. The line is then com osed for the shorter length, but more tight y (as it is called) than usual for the following reason:

This reason will be most readily understood if it is explained in connection with a Morgenthaler space-bar. Each space-bar of a Mergenthaler linotype-machine is a double wedge capable of being thickened by having one of its wedges slid along over the other, the thickening increasing as long as the sliding continues. In the commercial machine of today this thickening continues until the line is justi'lied. Consequently the more matrices there are in a line the less need there is for each space-bar to be thickened to its maximum to justify the line. It is quite possible for an operator to compose so few matrices into the line that the justification of it will absorb all the justifying capacity of its spacebars. This sort of composition, known as loose, will not satisfy the present invention, because there must be a reserve of justifying capacity equal to the difference between the two lengths of linotypes. This is why the resent invention requires that the line should be composed more tightly than usual, for a line so composed will be justified before the space-bars are thickened to the maximum, thereby providing the required reserve of justifying capacity.

After the shorter linotype has been cast the filling-piece is withdrawn from the vise, thereby leaving it adjusted for the longer length. The composed line is again placed in the vise by means of a special repeating mechanism, and after it has been justified to the longer length the longer linotype is cast and the composed line distributed, this distribution being permitted by the repeating mechanism just mentioned.

The filling-piece maybe alternated i. e., inserted and withdrawn-by hand; but to do this with the necessary regularity would tax the attention of the operator, so that such manual operation is practically imposelevator.

sible. That being so, the invention includes automatic alternating mechanism of special construction for inserting and withdrawing the fillingpiece. The mold-carrier isfitted with a single mold the mold-slot in which is of the longer length. Preparatory to casting a shorter linotype this mold-slot is closed at one end by an amount equal to the difference between the two desired lengths of lino type, and this closing the mold-slot makes an indentation at one end of the shorter-length linotype. The, presence of this' indentation is obvious when it is borne in mind that the length of the mold-slot determines the length of the body of the linotype, while the length of the printing edge of the linotype is determined by the length of the composed line of matrices. Any of the molds adjustable for length, such as those of Patents No. 562,751, June 23, 1896, or No. 539,993, May 20,1895, may be used; but their adjustability is not to meet the change from the longer to the shorter lengthsay from twenty-eight to thirty ensbut to meet the change from one range of lengths to another, as when the lengths are, say, forty-eight and fifty ens instead of twenty-eight and thirty ens. It is always the filling-piece that provides for the difference between the two lengths.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation Fig. 2, a plan correspond.- ing therewith; Fig. 3, a left-hand side elevation, and Fig. 4 an enlarged detail of the alternating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the automatic means for justifying the composed line to the respective lengths after each presentation of the said line to the mold.

This invention is characterized by the mold-carrier 3, having only a single mold 105, which is of the longer length and in which the longer as well as the shorter linotypes are cast by the alternating mechanism being worked by the first elevator 22 and by a repeating mechanism controlled by the said This repeating mechanism resembles that described in the specification of British Letters Patent No. 6,692 of 1900, so that none of the following claims are to be understood as claiming anything contained in the last-mentioned specification.

is the filling-piece. It is vertical and Sta-ids up from a slide 81, guided by studs 82 83, passed through slots 84 85 into the viseframe 8. The width of the reduced top end of the filling-piece 80 (looking at it from the front of the machine) is equal to the desired difference between the lengths of the shorter and longer linotypes.

86 is a cam loose on the stud 83. It has four low depressions 87 and four high ones or points 88 intermediate of each other, each one of the eight at a distance of forty-five degrees from the depressions before and behind it. The radial difference between a depression 87 and a point 88 is equal to the vertical distance necessary to insert or with- ClILZLW the filling-piece 80 into or out of its operative position.

89 is a roller on the bottom end of the slide 81, and 90 is a spring pulling on the said slide from a part of the repeating mechanism described farther on to keep the said slide 81 in contact with the cam 86. This part of the repeating mechanism may, as far as the slide 81 is concerned, be regarded as a fixed point on the machine.

91 is a ratchet-wheel fast to the cam 86 and having as many teeth as there are depres sions (eight) in the said cam.

92 is a lever fulcrumed loose on the stud 83, projecting to the front of the machine past the first elevator 22 and carrying a pivoted pawl 93, which can be rocked into or out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel 91.

94 is an arm fast to and projecting to the left from the first elevator 22 far enough to contact with the lever 92 when the said elevator rises as heretofore to cooperate with the distributor.

The parts 81 to 94 constitute the alternating mechanism that alternately inserts and withdraws the fillingpiece.

The repeating mechanism is as follows: 95 is a shaft turning in bearings in the viseframe; 96, an arm fast on it and kept in contact with the cam 86 by the spring 90; 97, an arm likewise fast on the shaft 95 and having a horizontal push-piece 98, pivoted midway of its length to the top end of the said arm 97 by a pin 99; 100, a pin passed through the top end of the arm 97 and the front end of the push-piece 98 to hold the latter in its working position; 101, a rod working horizontally in a suitable guide, (not shown,) having its front end in touch with the pushpiece 98 and its rear end pivotally connected to the left end of a lever 103, fulcrumed upon a fixed vertical pin 104 to rock horizontally; 102, a link pivotally connected by its front end to the lever 103 on the right of the ful crum 104 and by its rear end to the lever 62, that controls the driving-clutch of the machine. So long as this lever 62 is in the position indicated by the full lines of Fig. 2 the driving-clutch will remain closed and the camshaft continue to rotate.

61 is a shaft of the well-known mechanism that removes the composed line out of the elevator 22 preparatory to its distribution, and 106 is an adjustable abutment fast on it. This abutment is so positioned on the shaft 61 that the nose of the lever 103 shall stand opposite it, as shown in Fig. 2, when the repeating mechanism is to be operated, for it will then and thereby prevent the mechanism connected with the shaft 61 taking the composed line out of the first elevator 22, which it would normally do preparatory to the distribution of it.

The automatic means for justifying the linefirst to the shorter length and afterward to the longer lengthis the justifying mechanism in general use to-day in the commercial linotype-machine and is illustrated in Fig. 5. 150 151 are two cams fast on the cam-shaft 31 of the machine, and therefore turning with it in the direction indicated by the arrow. 150 151 are the two justifyinglevers. They are both fulcrumed on a common fulcrum 152 in the machine-frame 30. Each carries an antifriction-roller 150 151 and both rollers are kept in contact with the respective peripheries of the cams 150 151 by springs 150 151 and push-rods'150 151 having collars 150 151 fast on them, and between which collars and the base of the machine-frame the said springs are constantly in compression, and therefore always holding the front ends of the levers 150 151' 'as high as the respective contacts between the peripheries of the cams 150 15 1 and the rollers 150i? 151 allow them to do. The front ends of the cam-levers 150 151 are loosely connected to the bottom ends of vertical rods 150? 151 respectively. These rods are; capable of sliding in suitable fixed guides as the respective levers rise and drop under the joint action of the cams 150 1 51 and springs 150 151. These two rods 150 151 show in the figure as one behind the other. Their top ends are pivotally connected to a justifying-plate 153, which stands under the opening between the vise-jaws 4 5. It is into this opening that the first elevator 22 puts the composed line of matrices Y and space-bars. All the matrices and space-bars hang in the head of the said elevator 22: by lugs which engage in grooves 154in the said head, as shown in the figure. Only the lugs y of one matrix show in the figure, those of the other matrices, as well as those of the space-bars, being behind. Aspace-bar has been already described as being a double wedge capable of being thickened by having one of its wedges slid along overthe other. These two wedges are of different lengths, one of them being shorter than a matrix and the other being much longer. It is the shorter wedge that carries the lugs 2, by which the space-bar is suspended from the grooves 154, and that is why the shorter wedges do not show in the figure.- ()ne longer wedge Z shows projectingdownward below the composed line of matrices and space-bars, (and also above it, because the figure illustrates a justified position,) the other long wedges being behind it. At the moment that the elevator 22 puts the composed line in the vise-opening the rises of the two cams 150 151 hold the front ends of the levers 150 151, and consequently the justifying-plate 153, in their lowest respective positions but by the time the said line is to be justified the rotation of the cams has placed their drops-say the two a aopposite the two lever-rollers 150 151 so that the springs 150 151 at once push the said justifying-plate 153 up, making each longer wedge slide over its shorter fellow wedge, thereby thickening each space-bar as much as the then distance between the jaws 4 and 5 permits of. This is the condition shown in the figure. There are two drops a b (and consequently two rises) shown in each cani, because there are two in each cam in the commercial linotype-machine; but this duplication is a detail that does not concern the present invention, for as far as it is concerned each cam may be considered as having only one rise and one drop, the rise and drop inone substantially registering with the rise and drop in the other and both rises and both drops acting once only during each rotation of the cam-shaft 31.

The invention acts as follows: The abutment 6 having been adjusted by the screw 7 to hold the movable vise-j aw 5 at a distance from its fellow jaw 4 equal to the length of the desired longer linotype a filling-piece of a width equal to the dilference between the shorter and the longer linotypes is fixed tothe slide 81, the pawl 93 engaged with the ratchet-wheel 91, a mold having a mold-slot 105 ofthe longer length mounted on the mold-carrier 3, and the cam 86 turned by hand about the stud 83 until one of its points 88 is under the roller, thereby inserting the filling-piece 80, between the abutment 6 and the vise-j aw 5 and making the latter overlap the respective end of the mold 105. This overlap is shown by the dotted-line position of the said jaw in Fig. 1 and is the cause of the before-mentioned indentation at the end of a shorter linotype. Atthe same time the spring 90 pulls the nose of the arm 96 into a' depression 87, placed opposite to the said shaft and the arm 97, rocks the push-piece 98 to the front, whereupon the spring (not shown) of the lever 62 will rock it and make it hold the lever 103 out of engagement with the abutment 106, Fig. 2, dotted lines. The operator, having composed the line to the shorter length and tight, starts the machine, and the latter inserts the said line in the vise. At the moment of insertion the first elevator 22 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the lever 92 being then held by its weight in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 3. The shorter line is cast and ejected in the ordinary way. Immediately after it is cast the machine makes the elevator 22 rise, with the composed line in it, to meet and cooperate with the distributer in the usual way. This rise is made use of by the present invention to work both the alternating and the repeating mechanisms. It is for that purpose that the elevator carries the arm 94:. As the ele vator 22 approaches the end of its rise this arm 94 engages and rocks the lever 92 up, and consequently the cam 86 through fortyfive degrees, and holds the lever 92 in that position for a short time. The result is that the depression 87 in front of the point 88, previously in engagement with the slide 81, comes under the latter, a point 88 at the same time coming opposite the nose of the lever 96, the spring 90 withdrawing the filling-piece 80, Figs. 1 and 3. The engagement of the point 88 with the lever 96 rocks the latter downward and the push-piece 98 to the rear, thereby rocking the right half of the lever 103 till its nose stands opposite the abutment 106, thereby locking the shaft 61, Fig. 2. The elevator 22 then descends, as usual, bringing back the composed line with it and again inserts it in the vise. During this descent the lever 92 drops into its original position. The line is then justified to the longer 'length, the longer linotype east and ejected,

and the elevator 22 raised again to cooperate with the distributor, all in the usual way. During this rise the arm 94 again rocks the lever 92, this time putting the next point 88 under the slide 91, inserting the filling-piece 90 between the abutment 6 and the jaw 5, and presenting a depression 87 to the lever 96, Fig. 1, whereupon the spring 90 again rocks the push-piece 98 to the front and the lever 103 is pulled away to the rear out of engagement with the abutment 106, thereby unlocking the shaft 61. The composed line is consequently taken out of the elevator 22 and distributed in the usual way.

Referring to what has been said as to a single mold causing an indentation at the end of a shorter linotype, this indentation would not be caused if the mold had the left-hand end liner (i. 0., the piece that makes the lefthand end of the mold) movable instead of being fixed, so as to move to and fro with the jaw 5, their right-hand faces being in the same vertical plane. Such a combination of liner and vise-j aw is described in the specification of Letters Patent No. 576,414., February 2, 1897, and the single mold of the present invention may be fitted with it; but it is not recommended, because the movable liner would not be as metal-tight as a fixed one.

It has already been stated that the inven tion is particularly applicable to the Mergenthaler linotype-machine of Letters Patent No. 436,532, September 16, 1890, and so it is, but its applicability is not limited to that machine. For instance, with reference to the justifying devices which the invention relies on, the essential feature is the 'reserve of justifying capacity. The Mergenthaler justifying devices are double-wedge space bars acting in the direction of their length, while the justifying devices of the typograph-machine are double wedges acting circularly; but the present invention is so far applicable to both machines for the reason that the justifying devices of each possess the above-mentioned reserve of justification. Compressible elastic justifying devices would possess such reserve of justifying capacity. So it must be clearly understood that the present invention is applicable to any machine whose justifying devices possess the required reserve of justifying capacity. Further, the mold-carrier of the Mergenthaler machine is a rotating one adapted to present its mold regularly in the casting position; but it is this presentation that is'the essential function of the carrier, the rotation as such is immaterial, because the same presentation would be accomplished by a mold-carrier having a toand-fro motion either arcual or linear.

I claim 1. The combination of mold-carrier having a single mold. the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receive the composed line and having a movable jaw; fillingpiece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; automatic alternating mechanism worked by the first elevator; and a repeating mechanism controlled by the said elevator.

2. The combination of mold-carrier having a'single mold the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receive the composed line and having a ,movable jaw; fillingpiece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; spring and cam controlling the respective positions of the filling-piece; ratchet-wheel, gravity-lever and pawl pivoted thereon and engaging with the ratchet-wheel to turn the cam; and reciprocating arm to rock the lever against gravity in one direction.

3. The combination of mold-carrier having a single mold the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receive the composed line and having a movable jaw; fillingpiece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; spring and cam controlling the respective positions of the filling-piece; ratchet-wheel, gravity-lever and pawl pivoted thereon and engaging with the ratchet-wheel to turn the cam; reciproeating arm to rock the lever against gravity in one direction; and a repeating mechanism controlled by the cam.

1. The combination of mold-carrier having a single mold the mold slot of which is of the longer. length; vise to receive the comseaoe i line to the mold twice in succession; and automatic means for justifying it to the respective length after each presentation.

5. The combination of mold-carrier hav ing a single mold the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receive the composed line and having a movable jaw; fillingpiece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; spring and cam controlling the respective positions of the filling-piece; ratchet-wheel, gravity-lever and pawl pivoted thereon and engaging with the ratchet-wheel to turn the cam; automatic means for presenting the composed line to the mold twice in succession; automatic me ans for justifying it to the respective length after each presentation and automatic repeating mechanism controlled by the said cam to provide for the second presentation of the composed line and for its distribution alternately.

6. Thecombination of mold-carrier having a single mold the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receive the composed line and having 'a movable jaw; respective end-liner of mold fast to the said jaw;

. filling-piece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; automatic alternating mechanism worked by the first elevator; and a repeating mechanism controlled by the said cam.

7. The combination of mold-carrier having a single mold the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receivethe composed line and having a movable jaw; respective end-liner of mold fast to the said jaw; filling-piece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; spring and cam controlling the respective positions of the filling-piece; ratchet-wheel, gravity-lever and pawl pivoted thereon and engaging with the ratchet-wheel to turn the cam; and reciprocating arm to rock the lever against gravity in one direction.

8. The combination of mold-carrier having a single mold the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receive the composed line and having amovable jaw; respective end-liner of mold fast to the said jaw; filling-piece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; spring and cam controlling the respective positions of the filling-piece; ratchet-wheel, gravitylever and pawl pivoted thereon and engaging with the ratchet-wheel to turn the cam; reciprocating arm to rock the lever against gravity in one direction; and a repeating mechanism controlled by the cam.

9. The combination of mold-carrier having a single mold the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receive the 001m posed line and having a movable jaw; respective end-liner of mold fast to the said jaw; filling-piece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; spring and cam controlling the respective positions of the filling-piece; ratchetwheel, gravity-lever and pawl pivoted thereon and engaging with the ratchet-wheel to turn the cam; automatic means for presenting the composedline to the mold twicein succession; and automatic means for justifying it to the respective length after each presentation.

, 10. The combination of mold-carrier having a single mold the mold-slot of which is of the longer length; vise to receive the composed line and having amovable jaw; respective end-liner of mold fast to the said jaw; filling-piece adapted to be put alternately into and out of its operative position; spring and cam controlling the respective positions of the filling-piece; ratchet-wheel gravitylever and pawl pivoted thereon and engaging with the ratchet-wheel to turn the cam; automatic means for presenting the composed line to the mold twice in succession; auto matic me ans for justifying it to the respective length after each presentation; and automatic repeating mechanism controlled by the said cam to provide for the second presenta tion of the composed line and for its distribution alternately.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK WILLIAH SUTCLIFFE. 

